Rubber heel



July 7, 1925 P. F. OLEARY RUBBER HEEL Filed May 1 Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATRICK F. OLEARY, O'F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

RUBBER HEEL.

Application filed May 8,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK F. OLEARY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in a Rubber Heel, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention consists of a rubber heel having a resilient shankportion which is particularly constructed and arranged to cushion in apredetermined degree a definite localized area in the arch of the foot,and which shank portion is extended at an inclination to the base of theheel to promote a gradual uplift of the arch and a comfortable walkingaction, especially to persons having fallen or weak arches.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a side view of a shoeprovidedwith a heel of my improved construction. Fig. 2 is a bottom View of theshoe and heel shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view, enlarged, of theheel itself, and Fig. 4 is-a sectional view on line 4.4 of Fig. 3. Fig.5 is an edge elevation of the breast side of the heel.

The dotted lines in Fig. 1 represents the skeleton or frame work of ahuman foot, and show numerous but not all of the joints or articulationsor the twenty-six bones therein. The relative position of the bones asshown indicate a weak arch as occurs when the ligaments become strainedor stretched and lose their tone. Under these conditions the heel tiresand becomes tender, the ankle tends to turn suddenly, pains occur,constant standing or walking causes general discomfort, and a brokendown arch and flat foot develop. Under pressure and weight the foot alsoelongates as the inner longitudinal or long arch of the bone structureflattens, causing discomfort to the toes. In a weak foot the naturalbalance of the foot is also interfered with, imposing additional strainson various parts of the foot.

To relieve and remedy such weakened foot conditions and bring about amore normal functioning in a weak foot, I have designed a rubber heel inwhich the main body 2 is rounded at its rear and opposite sides and ofirregular outline at its front side where a relatively narrow and shortextension 3 is formed integrally with the body on the lon itudinalmedial line thereof. This heel is astened to the shoe by means of nailsdriven through body 2, but the small pad or extension 3 is not nailed tothe shoe except 1922. Serial No. 559,367.

at its base or juncture with body 2. Instead, said extension is moldedto curve or slant upwardly and forwardly in respect to the flat bottom 4and the concaved top 5 of the heel so that it will be placed underconstant compression and fit snugly at all times against the bottomshank portion 6 of the sole of the shoe S when the body of the heel isnailed thereto. To further effect a snug and tight union at the meetingfaces sion 3 a small shallow cavity 7 is formed within the upper face ofthe extension, thus providing a narrow border seat 8 of tapering crosssection adapted to be readily compressed in making a tight joint. Acentral round protuberance 9 within cavity 7 also engages the bottom ofshank portion 6 when .the heel is in place on the shoe, and theextension 3 is thus made quite resilient and functions as a cushioningpad centrally 0f the instep immediately beneath the astragal-us bone 10and in line with the tibia 11 substantially opposite the joint 12between the scaphoid 13 and the os calcis or heel bone 14 where the longand short plantar ligaments span and give support to the arch of thefoot.

The os calcis and scaphoid bones are joined together with another bonecalled the cuboid which is laterally opposite the scaphoid but notshown, the meeting point being substantially on the medial line of thefoot directly above the cushioning pad or extension 3 which is designedto exert a resilient uplifting effect at .this spot in standing or whenwalking. In other words the pressure upon the foot is localized within agiven area opposite the articulations immediately in line with thebonesin the leg which carry the weight down into the foot and the extensionis narrow and relatively short or of a definite length for that reason.The extension is inclined or also made slanting in respect to the flatbottom of the rubber heel to further localize the pressure and 'of theshoe bottom and the pad or extenweighth to this central spot or place inthe 7 present invention a weak foot is materiallyv aided in supportingthe weight where a support is most needed but without harsh resistanceor solid impact extended over a large area. Thus, in standing the weightis distributed over the entire foot with a slight uplift and additionalpressure in the small local area of the pad or extension 3, this actionbeing clearly shown in .Fig. 1 by the arrow or pointing upwardly, andthe arrow b pointing downwardly, it being further understood that thisview is of a shoe before it is flexed by the weight therein. Placingweight on the foot depresses the heel bone 14 and the body 2' of theheel but in the meantime the arch of the foot is obtaining the aid ofthe middle pad or cushioning extension 3. In walking a slightlydifferent action occurs because the rear end of the heel usually strikesfirst and then the sole of the shoe before flattening the arch. With myimproved heel the rear end strikes first and flattens, then the shankflexes as the pad or cushioning extension 3 strikes and compresses andbecomes the fulcrum for distributing the weight to the sole as itstrikes the ground, the ligaments'of the foot being resiliently aidedbythe pad 3 in sustaining the arch of the foot in this movement.

. The body of the heel may also be provided with a recess 15 within itsupper side to promote resiliency beneath the heel bone 14, and wheresuch a recess is connection with a narrow pad or extension 3 the bridgeportion or transverse area 16 intermediate recess 15 and the cavity 7 ismade more resilient and co-acts with the extension in localizin thepressure in and beneath the shank o the shoe.

provided in The heel and its extension being spaced 40 ing upwardly fromthe breast of the heel and on the longitudinal medial line thereof, saidextension providing a short cushioning pad in a small localized areabeneath the shank of the shoe.

2. A rubber heel for a shoe, having a short integral extension ofsubstantially the same thickness as the main body of the heel v andextending upwardly at an inclination from the middle of the breast ofthe heel,

both the top and bottom surfaces of the extension slanting upwardly fromthe breast.

3. A rubber heel for a shoe, having a concaved upper face and a flatbottom and formed with a short narrow integral extension extendingupwardly at a slight inclination from the breast of the heel, the top ofsaid extension being cupped and the bottom being flat, the length ofsaid extension being approximately the same as the width thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PATRICK F. OLEARY.

